Headmaster Bulla

November 25, 2006 1:28 AM
The sorting for the year officially over, Manfred stood and waited for things to quiet down. The first years, as the tradition went, had each been given a chalice a clear, bubbling potion to drink as they entered the hall were and instructed to drink deeply. And, just like every other sorting in the history of the school, the result had been that the first years had all turned the main colour that represented the house they were to join; bright blue for Aladren, deep red for Crotalus, muddy brown for Pecari and sunshine yellow for Teppenpaw. The colour change lasted a few minutes only, but for the time it was in effect it tended to get some interesting reactions from the new first year students. It had been ever so since the foundation of the school and would ever be thus.

But now that that was over and the students settling into seats, it was time for the second important part of the Opening Feast.

"Welcome," he said when things had quietened down. "Welcome to a new year at Sonora Academy. To our new students, I am Headmaster Bulla. I hope that you enjoy your time here, work hard and do your new houses proud. To our returning students, I'm sure you've all had wonderful holidays and it is good to see you've all returned. I would ask Mr Zack Dill of Aladren, Miss Chrysanthemum Mathers of Crotalus, Miss Mia Kerova of Pecari and Miss Kaylie Brockert of Teppenpaw to all come to the front please."

He moved around the staff table, holding a small box which he opened when the four had arrived.

"Congratulations," he informed them in a quieter voice. "You have all been selected to serve as Prefects for your houses. Remember this is a position of both privilege and responsibility. You will have the power to give and take points, and will be expected to assist your Head of House if a situation arises. I'm sure you will all do us proud."

He handed them each their prefect badges, bronze metal embossed with the badge of Sonora and the word 'prefect' underneath then straightened himself up a little more to address the school once more.

"Congratulations to our four new prefects. Now, I expect that you are all waiting ravenously for the Feast. Wait no longer."

With a wave, the food started to pile up on the tables and jugs of drinks appeared, all ready for the students and staff to tuck in. Manfred, instead of returning to his seat paused a moment, just in case any of the new Prefects wished to say or ask anything.\n\n
Subthreads:
39 Headmaster Bulla Opening Feast 2 Headmaster Bulla 1 5


Brett Hodges

November 25, 2006 10:49 AM
Brett Hodges lowered the chalice from lips and handed it off to the next waiting first year student. The hand that held it slowly turned a muddy sort of chocolate.

Whoa, total weirdness.

He hung back a little from the other kids at first. Some of them seemed to be crazy proper snobbies. Others were real careful about everything, others were gawking at the magic ceiling. Brett was way sympathetic to that last group. Even having gotten a couple weeks to desensitize to magic whoa-ness with his dad in Wizarding Central, California, Sonora was still wicked impressive.

But the people! They were like, he didn't even know what. He didn't know how to act with them, didn't know how to talk to them. Somehow, Yo, sup? 'm Brett, what's yer handle? seemed terribly out of place with these kids.

He found another browner and tried, "Yo, hey. I'm Brett."\n\n
0 Brett Hodges Whoa. I'm like chocolate. 0 Brett Hodges 0 5


Talen Dupree

November 25, 2006 11:28 AM
Since his cousins had gone here before him, he had no doubt as to what to expect. Eagerly, but not too eagerly, as that wouldn't be the Dupree way, he drank from the chalice. As long as he didn't turn yellow, he would be fine with any other color. He didn't want to be yellow. Yellows were Teppenpaws, he had been told, and he knew he was certainly not a Teppenpaw.

Slowly, his already tan skin changed to a darker brown. Pecari. Brown was Pecari. So, he would be in the same House as Danae. How dull. She was nice, she could give someone a toothache. Defiently, not his tastes. He preferred more of a sarcastic nature.

Taking in his surroundings, he noticed a few others changing to brown, as well, but before he could introduce himself to any, one approached him.

'Yo, hey. I'm Brett.'

His lips curved into a half smile.

So, this was one of his roommates. How interesting, he thought.

"Nice to meet you. Talen Dupree," he stated casually, but with a touch of a smirk on his lips, as though he knew something about the other student that even the student didn't know.

Of course, he didn't really. He didn't even know he did it. Mostly, it was a habit that he had picked up from his formidable father.\n\n
0 Talen Dupree Chocolate is the best 105 Talen Dupree 0 5


Brett Hodges

November 25, 2006 12:49 PM
"Nice to meet you. Talen Dupree," the other boy introduced himself. Brett wondered if maybe he should have said his own last name too. Was that standard around here? That might explain the funny look he was getting. Or, maybe, that was on account of the "yo," or his shoulder length white blonde hair that always made his grandmother complain, "You look like a girl with your hair like that. I wish you'd cut it." To which he'd always reply, "Nah, Grams, It's mad cool this way." Either way, he decided to modify his greeting next time and let this one slide.

"Likewise," he said. He'd heard someone say that on tv once. It seemed appropriate somehow to say to this boy, but he winced inwardly. What an awful word. Likewise. Next thing he'd be chuckling, Oh, pish posh with a girly wave of his hand. The thought was uber offensive. Then he'd definitely need to cut his hair so people wouldn't be confused.

And this kid was going to be his roommate. This conversation had to get way better, like instantaneously.

The brown coloring was starting to fade away on both of them. He looked around for more Browners before they couldn't be distinguished from the crowd anymore.

To Talen --at least he had a crazy awesome name, kinda like Echoman--he said, "What'd they call us? Pecardy?" Yeah, it was something like that Trekki captain's name.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
0 Brett Hodges It sure beats vanilla. 0 Brett Hodges 0 5


Talen

November 25, 2006 3:15 PM
Talen quirked an eyebrow in response when Brett stated 'Likewise.' It was half hidden though beneath his mass of dark brown curls that came to his chin.

With his hair and delicate features, his appearance could be stated as being feminine though not girlish, as one could tell that he would one day be classified as a beautiful man. Well, that is if his frame filled out some, which was extrodinarily thin for his height.

Luckily, most couldn't tell beneath his robes. He hated to be nagged to eat or to eat more when he in fact did eat. He just couldn't help that his body didn't seem to realize it.

His mother seemed to be the worst. She was never around, so she never knew what he was doing, such as the simple act of eating, yet she was always on him to eat.

He shouldn't have been surprised though. He doubted it was, because she cared for him, but more due to her own obsession with food. She was on a new diet of some kind every other week or so and always complained about her body. It was rather awful to listen to.

'What'd they call us? Pecardy?'

Pulling him out of his dark thoughts, Talen looked at Brett in surprise. He had forgotten that he was there. Feeling a surge of uncharacteristic friendliness, Talen actually grinned at the other boy.

"Not only that, but I've been told that Pecari is the best House to be in," Talen said to him.\n\n
0 Talen Yeah, not a big fan of myself 0 Talen 0 5


Brett Hodges

November 25, 2006 5:45 PM
"Not only that, but I've been told that Pecari is the best House to be in," the other kid said, grinning. Maybe he wasn't such a snobman after all. Maybe Talen even played soccer or that wizarding sport, quidball (or something).

"Of course it's the best," Brett grinned back, "It's got us, right? It's gotta be crazy cool. It can't help it." He was speaking for himself anyway. He wasn't sure about Talen, yet. Maybe he was already mad cool, if not he might have some potential. Brett could take care of that.

It seemed like other kids were startng to settle down now, so he he found the nearest empty pair of seats and hoped the Talen kid would follow. If not, well, his loss. They'd catch up later anyway.\n\n
0 Brett Hodges A small fan, maybe? 0 Brett Hodges 0 5


Echo Elms

November 27, 2006 10:32 PM
Echo had been watching the new Pecari from across the room during Bulla's greeting. He just couldn't get it out of his head. The kid was Brett. He had to Brett.

But it made no sense. Brett was a muggle from Sundance WY, not a pureblood wizardman. Brett had never displayed any magic freakiness at all. Hadn't he even broken his arm in first grade?

The closer Echo got, though, the more certain he became. Here he was, chatting away like, well not quite like Brett. There was something different in his tone, his manner. Just as Echo started to wonder if maybe he'd made a mistake, though, the grinning kid turned his head, giving Echo a perfect profile view.

It was really him. Wasn't it?

"Hey?" he tried.\n\n
21 Echo Elms Um, excuse me? 93 Echo Elms 0 5


Brett Hodges

November 27, 2006 10:46 PM
Brett sort of saw someone out of the corner of his eye, and when he heard a "hey" he turned.

Whoa. Echo. Here?

He sported the deer in headlights look for a good two seconds. He might have even doubletaked or blinked blankly at him. Dude. Echo was a wizard.

"Hey," he returned. And then he was caught. Should he talk like he normally did with Echo? Did different locations change how Echo talked to people? Would it alienate this other kid he was talking to? Would it alienate Echo's friends?

Too much thinking. Just be cool. Yeah, Brett was way cool.\n\n
0 Brett Hodges Whoa. Echoman! 0 Brett Hodges 0 5


Talen and Danae

November 29, 2006 6:42 PM
OCC: Sorry, things have been kinda hectic the last couple days.

BIC:

Talen turned towards an older boy that had interrupted their conversation. Looking back and forth between the two, it was obvious that they knew each other, but seemed a bit surprised to see one another. How odd.

Before he could mention anything, though, another joined their group created a very troublesome foursome. He didn't show it, but Talen felt slightly paniced. He looked from Brett to the older boy to his cousin, Danae.

"Hello, little cousin," Danae piped in with a charming smile. "Who are your friends?"

Casually, she tossed back her dark hair in a slightly flirty manner. Of course, she knew of the one boy, Echo, but had never actually formally met him.

Talen tried not to look disgusted over her obvious use of him.

"Brett, this is my cousin, Danae. Danae, this is Brett, my roommate," he said nodding towards the younger boy. Gesturing at the other, he continued, "I apologize, as we have not been introduced yet. My name is Talen Dupree."\n\n
0 Talen and Danae Add another one to the fire 0 Talen and Danae 0 5


Echo & Brett

November 30, 2006 8:23 PM
Somehow, Echo had managed to go through a whole year at Sonora without ever directly talking to Danae Dupree. He nodded a, "Hey" at Danae, and so did Brett. And Brett made a point to say, "This is Echo," to Talen, while Echo explained, "We're friends from home," to the other Dupree.

Introductions made and having recovered his tongue, Brett rounded back on Echo, "Dude, you are a total freak."

"Yeah," Echo grinned, "like mad whoa. Think I'm bad, just wait."

"Muggleness."

"You," Echo changed the subject, "California-?"

"Dad's a Squib," Brett explained, spreading his hands and giving the eye popping what the crazy weirdo stuff? expression.

News to both of them, then. "Dude."

"Yeah, for real-real."

The entire exchange took maybe ten seconds. Afterward, Echo grinned at his friend. Having Brett here was way cool. He glanced over at his table, at Elly and Meredith, and grinned and nodded and waved, hoping they would see at least one of those things and interpret it as: It's him! It's really him! He couldn't wait to introduce Brett to his friends. That was a crazy turn around... him, Echo Elms, having friends and Brett not having friends. That was just like whoa.

Brett, meanwhile, took care of being polite to the Duprees, explaining to them in somewhat more complete English, "Yeah, it was crazy nutso. I got my letter and mom told me to call dad. It turned out Dad's a Squib, so I spent the last two weeks with him seeing Wizard stuff and meeting my Wizard relatives. The last part was sort of boring but it was way cool anyway. You're cousins so you totally expected your letters?"

Echo caught the last bit of that, the part that said, my wizard relatives and decided to question Brett about that later. \n\n
0 Echo & Brett Burning brightly 0 Echo & Brett 0 5


Echo Elms

December 15, 2006 4:29 PM
Before the Danae and Talen could answer, Echo interrupted. He didn't ususally do that sort of thing but, dude, Brett Hodges was in Cascade Hall. Brett Hodges. He intended to wait around and be nice to the Dupress, but he couldn't stand it anymore. Brett had to meet Elly and Meredith now.

"I gotta go back," he told Brett, and made some excuse about food rapidly disappearing from the tables, "Come on, you gotta meet Elly and Meredith." He'd only been talking about them all summer. He realized belatedly, grinning sheepishly at the Duprees, that it was a little mean to run away so soon and take Brett.

Brett noticed it too. He glanced between his two options and shrugged at Talen. "Guess you got Danae, anyway, now. I'll catch you later."


[OOC: Echo and Brett thread jump back to Elly and Meredith's table]\n\n
21 Echo Elms Come on, Brett, I want you to meet Elly and Meredith 93 Echo Elms 0 5